Compost versus vermicompost as substrate constituents for rooting shrub cuttings
Abstract
The feasibility of composted (C), composted plus vermicomposted (V1) and straight vermicomposted (V2) tomato crop waste as component of rooting media for Euonymus japonicus ‘Microphylla’ and Lavandula angustifolia vegetative propagation was studied. Mixes of C, V1 and V2 with coir fibre (CF) at the proportions 100:0, 75:25, 50:50, 25:75, 0:100 (v:v) were assayed. Physical, physico chemical and nutritional characteristics of all materials and mixes were determined and correlated with cutting rooting and growth performances. The compost and the two vermicomposts were markedly different from CF. They had higher bulk density and lower total porosity than CF. Compost had lower water holding capacity and shrinkage in response to drying than vermicomposts and CF. Compost and vermicomposts were alkaline materials whilst CF was almost neutral. Electrical conductivity (EC) was low in CF and vermicomposts, and high in compost due to the high mineral contents, mainly of K+, SO42– and Na+ in this material. EC and the ions contributing to it (K+, SO42–, Na+) showed highly significative inverse correlations with rooting percentage for the two species and with root and shoot growth but only for E. japonicus. Due to its high EC, compost C (average rooting = 22.5%) performed worse than vermicomposts V1 (av. rooting = 97%) and V2 (av. rooting = 98%) whilst the latter performed similarly to CF control (av. rooting = 100%). Thus vermicomposts appeared to be more appropriate than compost as rooting media constituent.Downloads
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